J.D. Popham
@jdpopham.substack.com
Compulsive scribbler. Teller of small stories. Believes in whimsy, the written word, and fierce, dark coffee.
Pinned
J.D. Popham
@jdpopham.substack.com
· Oct 22
In a cynical and cutting world, to be kind and sincere is to be subversive.
Wrapping your phone in aluminum foil will not block the signal.
December 5, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Wrapping your phone in aluminum foil will not block the signal.
This
“For example, studies find that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of death from any cause compared to people who don't drink coffee.”
GAME SET MATCH
GAME SET MATCH
December 5, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This
But why? Why would one do such a thing? O.o
Most offensive headline yet in the New York Times www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/d...
There’s Never Been a Better Time to Quit Caffeine
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM
But why? Why would one do such a thing? O.o
This
The fact that a second strike like that in an armed conflict is definitely a war crime should not completely negate the fact that *there is no war* and ALL the strikes are cold-blooded murder. The whole chain of command are murderers.
December 5, 2025 at 4:57 AM
This
I've been thinking about empires lately. They crop up repeatedly in one form or another wherever/whenever humans congregate in numbers. As a social species, humans seem inordinately prone to wandering into the imperial paradigm.🤔
December 4, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I've been thinking about empires lately. They crop up repeatedly in one form or another wherever/whenever humans congregate in numbers. As a social species, humans seem inordinately prone to wandering into the imperial paradigm.🤔
No chocolate coins, but still worth a daily listen.
ICYMI earlier :)
My turn to recommend a TV show for day 3 of the Starship Alexandria advent calendar, one that @aptshadow.bsky.social hasn't seen.
Today's 'window' opens onto Australian suburbia with a figure in the shadows.
starshipalexandria.com/day-3-2025-a...
Today's 'window' opens onto Australian suburbia with a figure in the shadows.
starshipalexandria.com/day-3-2025-a...
December 3, 2025 at 10:50 PM
No chocolate coins, but still worth a daily listen.
Reposted by J.D. Popham
ICYMI earlier :)
My turn to recommend a TV show for day 3 of the Starship Alexandria advent calendar, one that @aptshadow.bsky.social hasn't seen.
Today's 'window' opens onto Australian suburbia with a figure in the shadows.
starshipalexandria.com/day-3-2025-a...
Today's 'window' opens onto Australian suburbia with a figure in the shadows.
starshipalexandria.com/day-3-2025-a...
Starship Alexandria: Day 3 - 2025 Advent Calendar
For the third day of the 2025 Starship Alexandria advent calendar, Emma recommends an Australian TV show called Mr Inbetween. If you'd like to support the show, you can become a patron at Emma’s late...
starshipalexandria.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:28 PM
ICYMI earlier :)
"To be persuasive we must be believable. To be believable we must be credible. To be credible we must be truthful."
Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
December 3, 2025 at 10:19 PM
"To be persuasive we must be believable. To be believable we must be credible. To be credible we must be truthful."
Edward R. Murrow
Edward R. Murrow
🎶 Fa-la-la-la-laaa-la-la-la-la 🎶 🎄
December 3, 2025 at 9:09 PM
🎶 Fa-la-la-la-laaa-la-la-la-la 🎶 🎄
Exhibit A viz why US food safety regulations are too important to be subjected to the "move fast and break things" school of reform.
www.health.com/shredded-che...
www.health.com/shredded-che...
FDA Announces Shredded Cheese Recall in 31 States Over Metal Fragments
A recall has been initiated for shredded cheese sold at major retailers—including Walmart, Target, and Aldi—due to pieces of metal, which can cause internal injuries.
www.health.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Exhibit A viz why US food safety regulations are too important to be subjected to the "move fast and break things" school of reform.
www.health.com/shredded-che...
www.health.com/shredded-che...
I find this to be true of people in general. Dead people were as messy and flawed as are the living, but we only experience them on paper. So many people seem amazing (or at least tolerable) on paper until one is engages with the actual in real time.
"Chasing dead men is much more interesting and satisfying than pursuing live ones," I admitted out loud in this talk I gave a few years ago.
Meh. Point still stands.
Meh. Point still stands.
On the topic of the New Cross House, I would be remiss not to bring up the work of @oispooky.bsky.social, who rediscovered the life and career of "The Most Popular Man In New Cross", wrestler and boxer Jack Wannop, placing him squarely at that pub in 1885.
December 2, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I find this to be true of people in general. Dead people were as messy and flawed as are the living, but we only experience them on paper. So many people seem amazing (or at least tolerable) on paper until one is engages with the actual in real time.
Lost Yoshi today. He was a good cat and a good friend. Gonna miss 'the dude'.
November 30, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Lost Yoshi today. He was a good cat and a good friend. Gonna miss 'the dude'.
If we cede critical thinking to generative and agentic AIs, then the AI's (and those who control them) will become oracles: the exclusive wellsprings of truth and knowledge.
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM
If we cede critical thinking to generative and agentic AIs, then the AI's (and those who control them) will become oracles: the exclusive wellsprings of truth and knowledge.
I always cringe when writers dumb down the other characters in a work in order to make the protagonist(s) appear smart or badass. Not only is it lazy writing, it makes characters feel sad and underappreciated. Be kind to your secondary characters. It's hard work, but worth it in the end. #writing
November 21, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I always cringe when writers dumb down the other characters in a work in order to make the protagonist(s) appear smart or badass. Not only is it lazy writing, it makes characters feel sad and underappreciated. Be kind to your secondary characters. It's hard work, but worth it in the end. #writing
Reposted by J.D. Popham
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
Can’t believe the whole country has to suffer through the return of Dickensian childhood diseases because the worst, most ignorant attention-demanders decided other people’s expertise makes them feel bad
Love me some cursive.
November 19, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Love me some cursive.
Wondering what the best time of year is to see the skaldic manuscripts in Iceland. 🤔
Looks at @hildur.bsky.social
Looks at @hildur.bsky.social
November 15, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Wondering what the best time of year is to see the skaldic manuscripts in Iceland. 🤔
Looks at @hildur.bsky.social
Looks at @hildur.bsky.social
Some days writing is like making stir-fry, all sharp edges and high heat. Other days it's like making a proper Bolognese ragu, where the flavors of the prose needs low heat and patience to merge. #AmWriting
November 12, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Some days writing is like making stir-fry, all sharp edges and high heat. Other days it's like making a proper Bolognese ragu, where the flavors of the prose needs low heat and patience to merge. #AmWriting
Reposted by J.D. Popham
In 2013, I wrote an article for Boing Boing about who owned OMNI magazine—the rights, that is. boingboing.net/2013/07/09/w... Cutting to the chase, per @datlow.bsky.social & @pamelaweintraub.bsky.social, nobody owns those rights in place. Artists & authors’ contracts were for limited reproduction.
Who Owns Omni?
Glenn Fleishman on the legendary science and science fiction magazine's murky proprietorship.
boingboing.net
November 11, 2025 at 11:12 PM
In 2013, I wrote an article for Boing Boing about who owned OMNI magazine—the rights, that is. boingboing.net/2013/07/09/w... Cutting to the chase, per @datlow.bsky.social & @pamelaweintraub.bsky.social, nobody owns those rights in place. Artists & authors’ contracts were for limited reproduction.
Puffins need no excuse.
November 11, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Puffins need no excuse.